Jointed truck.



No. 637,650. Patented Nov. 2|, I899.

E. H. NURTHROP.

JUINT ED TRUCK.

(Application flied Apr. 28, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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'NTTED STATES PATENT FFICE.

EGBERT H. NORTHROP, OF NEW MILFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO JOSEPH MAYERS SONS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

JOINTED TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,650, dated November 21, 1899.

Application filed April 28, 1899. Serial No. 714,811. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it nutty concern.-

Be it known that I, EGBERT I-I. NoR'rHRoP, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Milford, county of Litchfield, State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Jointed Truck, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object to provide a truck adapted for general nse -for example, in freight houses and in commercial houses where heavy boxes, bales, and packages are required to be moved about-which can be easily loaded and handled by one person, and which does not require to be held when loading a weight thereon to prevent it from slidin g out from under the weight.

WVith these ends in view I have devised the 'novel truck which I will now describe, referring by numbers and letters to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a plan View of my novel truck;

Fig. 2, a side elevation corresponding therewith, showing the frame of the truck in operative position; and Fig. 3-is a side elevation showing the receiving position of the truck, the frame being bent upward at the center, so that the two halves of the truck incline downward from its mid-length.

The gist of my invention lies in providing a joint at the mid-length of the frame of a non-folding freight-truck of any ordinary or preferred construction. It will be apparent, therefore, that the details of construction are not of the essence of myinvention. For example, the frame may be made of wood or metal and of any design that may please the taste of the manufacturer or suit the requirements of special uses to which the trucks are to be applied. I The first requirement for a satisfactory truck is that it be strong and durable and capable of withstanding a practically unlimited amount of hard usage, in connection with which it is desirable that the truck inexpensive tomake and combines relative lightness with enormous strength. I wish it distinctly understood, however, that while this style of frame will be found perfectly satisfactory in use it is not an essential feature of my invention.

A denotes the wheels, B the side pieces of the frame, each of which is provided with a joint C at its mid-length, and D denotes crosspieces extending transversely between the side pieces. In the present instance I have shown the side pieces as each consisting of two straight strips of metal (indicated spe cifically by 10) and two ofiset strips of metal, (indicated specifically by 11,) the offsets being indicated by 12. The mode in which the joints C are formed is of course not of the essence of my invention. I have shown the cross-pieces D as having reduced ends 13, which terminate in shoulders 14:. The reduced ends of the central cross-piece pass through the inner ends of each pair of strips, it being apparent from the drawings that each straight strip corresponds with an offset strip and that each side piece B comprises two straight strips and two olfset strips, the

olfsets lapping past the innerends of the straight strips on the outer sides thereof, so as to leave each pair of strips straight and parallel upon their inner sides. This construction and arrangement insures that the wheels will track perfectly under all circumstances, as side motion of the wheels is prevented.

15 denotes sleeves which surround the reduced ends of the cross-pieces and lie between the two straight strips in each side piece. The construction of the joint in each side piece is therefore in the present instance as follows: An inner oifset 12 lies against a shoulder 14. Outside of the offset is the inner straight strip. Next to the straight strip is a sleeve 15. Lying against the outer end of the sleeve is the outer straight strip, and lying against the outer side of the outer straight strip is the outer offset 12. The parts are held in position by nuts 16, washers 17 being preferably interposed between the nuts and the outer faces of the strips. In the present instance I have shown the end-crosspieces as constructed in the same manner,

the only difference being that the end cross pieces pass through one strip only of each pair, sleevesbeing interposed between the strips the same as at the center.

The wheels are shown in the present instance as provided-with journals 18, which have their bearings in ears 19, which are rivof the joints in both directions. These stops manner.

may be formed in any ordinary'or preferred For example, lugs may be formed 7 upon the strips or pins may be so located as to be engaged bythe sides or ends of the strips. These being obvious, mechanical expedients are not thought to require illustga; tion in the drawings. In the present instance I have shown stops 20 as consisting'of blocks of metal riveted to the strips in positionto'be engaged by the ends of the corresponding strips. The stops upon the outer faces of strips 10 are engaged by the ends of strips 11 to limit the upward movement of the middle of the frame when placing the truck in the receiving position, as is clearly shown in Fig. 3, and the stops upon strips 11 are engaged by the ends of strips 10 to limit the downward movement of the middle of the frame right cross-piece D and presses down upon it sufficiently to bend the joints and raise the central portion of the frame, as in Fig. 3. In practice the nuts 16 upon the middle crosspiece are so adjusted as to permit the joints to bend freely, so that but little pressure upon either of the end cross-pieces is required to lift the central portion of the frame into the receiving position, in which position it will remain until the center is pressed downagain by the load or otherwise. other article is tilted over upon the truck,

frame and return the side pieces from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 2. zont'al and the load will be wholly upon the truck.

The special advantage of my novel con-- struction is that when the load is tilted over upon the truck the latter will not roll out from under it, as is the case with all trucks now in use, so far as I am aware, but the frame will simply pass from the receiving position to the operative position and will retain the load thereon.

It will be observed that each section of the 'When a box or.

The side pieces will now be horiframe (one each side of the joint) is provided with a plurality of wheels or rolling supports A. As illustrated, there are two of such rolling supports carried by each section. Therefore when the operator has, as above described, caused the two sections of the truckframe to assume the position shown in Fig. 3 the two sections of the frame are still as firmly supported against any lateral tilting as when the frame is in the position shown in Fig. 2. Hence the tilting of a box or other load over upon the truck has no tendency to tilt the truck: or either end thereof laterally.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- I 1. Atruck-frame of the character described jointed substantially at the center'and hav ing stops for preventing it from'folding to gether, each section of the frame being proyiided with a plurality of wheels or rollers adapted to support the frame against lateral tilting whether the frame is bent up at the joint or not, the two sections of said frame being held in alinement when the truck is loaded. 0 v

2. A truck-frame of the character described jointed substantiallv at the center and having stops for preventing it from folding together and mountedon wheels located solely under the sections of the frame near each end thereof and adapted to support the frame against lateral tilting when the middle portion of the frame is raised, said wheels being located sufficiently within the end margins of the frame to permit either end of said frame to approach close to the ground when the cen tral portion of the frame is raised, the two sections of said frame being held in alinement when the truck is loaded.

3. A truck-frame consisting of side pieces jointed at the center and cross-pieces, each side piece comprising two stripslO and two strips 11 whose ends are oflset and lie outside of strips 10.

4. A truck-frame consisting of side pieces jointed at the center and cross-pieces, each side piece comprising two straight strips and two offset strips and the oifsets'lappin'g past the inner ends of the straight strips on the outer sides thereof so as to leave each pair I 'of strips straight and parallel upon their inthe effect is to straighten the joints vof the ner sides, substantially as shown, forthe purpose specified.

5. The combination with side pieces B having joints 0 and stopswhich limit the move- 1 ment of the joints in both directions, of'wheels A carried by the side pieces and cross-pieces D between said side pieces, the two sections of said frame being held in alinement when the truck is loaded.

6. The combination with side piecesB having joints 0, each side piece comprising strips 10 and 11 ofiset as shown, of wheels carried by the side pieces, across-pieces between said side pieces and sleeves 15 lying between the strips in each side piece.

7. The combination with side pieces B havin g joints 0, each side piece comprising strips 10 and 11 offset as shown, of Wheels carried by the side pieces, cross-pieces having reduced ends which pass through the strips and shoulders against which the inner strips" rest, sleeves lying between the strips in each side piece and nuts on the cross-pieces which engage the outer faces of the outer strips and retain the parts of the frame in place. 10

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

EGBERT H. NORTHROP.

Witnesses:

FRED M. WILLIAMs, ARTHUR G. TODD; 

